Abrupt weather change brings winter wonderland

Just over an inch of snow fell Sunday in the area. However, the official record of 14.9 inches that fell at the Muskegon County Airport on Friday resulted in a 16-inch depth measured there on Sunday.

All that snow came after a record high of 56 at the Muskegon County Airport on Wednesday. Some plants sprung buds, thinking winter was extremely short this year.

Pete Lazdins of Grand Haven Township put away the golf clubs last week and strapped on cross-country skis at Hofma Park on Sunday.

“This is good stuff,” he said of the snow. “I went golfing three days ago at Pigeon Creek and now I’m skiing. That’s Michigan weather.”

Eric and Tracy Horodyski were visiting Eric’s parents, Steve and Ann Horodyski of Grand Haven Township, on Sunday with their two boys: Grant, 7; and Lance, 4. They all went snow-shoeing at Hofma Park on Sunday.

The Horodyski boys had only snow-shoed in their Grand Rapids backyard before Sunday’s family outing.

“This is the first time we’re going to be out on the trails together,” Eric said.

The weekend’s snow brought the area’s official winter total to just over 29 inches, still nearly 20 inches behind the 48.6 inches we normally see by this time.

The Grand Haven-area forecast calls for a chance of rain and fog this afternoon; a mix of rain, snow and freezing rain tonight; and snow showers and colder temperatures the rest of the week. A chance for more significant lake-effect snow will come Thursday, National Weather Service forecasters said this morning.

WZZM-TV meteorologists said the outlook for the rest of January calls for above average temperatures and precipitation.